HB 1458

HOUSE BILL 1458
     O1  6lr3369
     By: Delegates Shetty, D. Jones, Acevero, Bagnall, Charkoudian, Cullison, Hill,
  Kaufman, Lehman, Lewis, McCaskill, Palakovich Carr, Rosenberg, Ruff,
  Smith, Solomon, Taveras, Williams, and Wolek
     Introduced and read first time: February 13, 2026
     Assigned to: Appropriations
  A BILL ENTITLED
1 AN ACT concerning
2  State Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Refugees and Asylees –
3Establishment
4 FOR the purpose of establishing the State Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for
5      Refugees and Asylees; requiring the Department of Human Services to administer
6      the Program; establishing that certain individuals are eligible to receive a certain
7      benefit under the Program; and generally relating to the State Supplemental
8      Nutrition Assistance Program for Refugees and Asylees.
9 BY adding to
10      Article – Human Services
11      Section 5–507
12      Annotated Code of Maryland
13      (2019 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
14SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
15 That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
16Article – Human Services
17 5–507.
18(A)     (1)     IN THIS SECTION THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS
19 INDICATED.
20(2) “PROGRAM” MEANS THE STATE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION
21 ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR REFUGEES AND ASYLEES.
     EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
  [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
  *hb1458*
2HOUSE BILL 1458
1(3)    “REFUGEE” MEANS:
2(I)   AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS NOT A UNITED STATES CITIZEN;
3(II) AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS BEEN IN THE UNITED STATES FOR
4 60 MONTHS OR LESS; AND
5(III) AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:
61.   A REFUGEE ADMITTED UNDER 8 U.S.C. § 1157;
72.   AN ASYLEE ADMITTED UNDER 8 U.S.C. § 1158;
83.   A CUBAN OR HAITIAN ENTRANT AS DEFINED IN 45
9 C.F.R. § 401.2;
104.     AN   INDIVIDUAL   GRANTED   WITHHOLDING   OF
11 REMOVAL UNDER 8 U.S.C. § 1231(B)(3) OR PROTECTION UNDER THE CONVENTION
12 AGAINST TORTURE;
135.
  A PAROLEE WHO HAS BEEN DESIGNATED BY FEDERAL
14 LAW AS ELIGIBLE FOR REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT SERVICES, INCLUDING:
15A.   AFGHAN
  HUMANITARIAN PAROLEES ADMITTED
16 UNDER THE AFGHANISTAN SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT OF 2022 AND
17 RELATED STATUTES;
18B.   UKRAINIAN HUMANITARIAN PAROLEES ADMITTED
19 UNDER THE UKRAINE SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT OF 2022;
20C.   LAUTENBERG PAROLEES; AND
21D.   ANY OTHER PAROLEE CATEGORY THAT CONGRESS OR
22 THE OFFICE OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT DESIGNATES AS ELIGIBLE FOR REFUGEE
23 BENEFITS;
246.AN AMERASIAN IMMIGRANT LAWFULLY ADMITTED TO
25 THE UNITED STATES WHO IS DESCRIBED IN 8 U.S.C. § 1612(A)(2)(A)(V);
267.A VICTIM OF A SEVERE FORM OF TRAFFICKING IN
27 PERSONS AND THE VICTIM’S FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR BENEFITS
28 AND SERVICES FROM FEDERAL AND STATE PROGRAMS UNDER 22 U.S.C. §
29 7105(B)(1)(A);
  HOUSE BILL 1458  3
18. AN IRAQI OR AFGHAN NATIONAL GRANTED SPECIAL
2 IMMIGRANT STATUS, INCLUDING:
3A.
  AN IRAQI GRANTED A SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISA
4 UNDER SECTION 1059 OF THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR
5 FISCAL YEAR 2006;
6B.    AN AFGHAN GRANTED A SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISA
7 UNDER SECTION 602(B) OF THE AFGHAN ALLIES PROTECTION ACT OF 2009; AND
8C.SPOUSES   AND   CHILDREN   GRANTED   DERIVATIVE
9 SPECIAL IMMIGRANT STATUS; AND
109.ANY OTHER NONCITIZEN POPULATION THAT THE
11 OFFICE OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT DETERMINES TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR REFUGEE
12 RESETTLEMENT SERVICES UNDER THE REFUGEE ACT OF 1980.
13(4) “SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM” MEANS
14 THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ESTABLISHED IN
15 ACCORDANCE WITH § 5–501 OF THIS SUBTITLE.
16     (B)   (1)THERE IS A STATE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE
17 PROGRAM FOR REFUGEES AND ASYLEES.
18(2)   THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM.
19(3) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO EXPAND FOOD ACCESS TO
20 HOUSEHOLDS UNDER THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR SUPPLEMENTAL
21 NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM BENEFITS IN EFFECT ON JULY 3, 2025.
22     (C)  A HOUSEHOLD IS ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM IF THE
23 HOUSEHOLD INCLUDES AN INDIVIDUAL WHO:
24(1) WAS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION
25 ASSISTANCE PROGRAM BENEFITS UNDER STATE AND FEDERAL LAW ON JULY 3,
26 2025;
27(2) IS NOT ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION
28 ASSISTANCE PROGRAM BENEFITS AFTER JULY 3, 2025; AND
29(3)   IS:
4HOUSE BILL 1458
1(I)    A REFUGEE;
2(II)
  A LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENT WHO SATISFIED THE
3 RESIDENT REQUIREMENTS IN EFFECT ON JULY 3, 2025;
4(III) A NONCITIZEN LAWFULLY PRESENT IN THE UNITED STATES
5 PREVIOUSLY ELIGIBLE FOR THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE
6 PROGRAM UNDER THE “QUALIFIED ALIEN” FRAMEWORK UNDER THE PERSONAL
7 RESPONSIBILITY AND WORK OPPORTUNITY RECONCILIATION ACT OF 1996;
8(IV)A PAROLEE ELIGIBLE FOR THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION
9 ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ON JULY 3, 2025, INCLUDING AN INDIVIDUAL PAROLED
10 INTO THE UNITED STATES UNDER SECTION 212(D)(5) OF THE IMMIGRATION AND
11 NATIONALITY ACT WHO MET THE RESIDENCY OR EXEMPTION REQUIREMENTS IN
12 EFFECT ON JULY 3, 2025;
13(V) A NONCITIZEN WITH WORK AUTHORIZATION WHO MET THE
14 ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA IN EFFECT ON JULY 3, 2025;
15(VI)
  A NONCITIZEN ELIGIBLE UNDER MILITARY–RELATED OR
16 DISABILITY–RELATED EXEMPTIONS UNDER THE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND
17 WORK OPPORTUNITY RECONCILIATION ACT OF 1996 ON JULY 3, 2025; OR
18(VII) A MEMBER OF ANY OTHER NONCITIZEN POPULATION
19 ELIGIBLE FOR SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM BENEFITS
20 UNDER FEDERAL LAW ON JULY 3, 2025.
21      (D) A HOUSEHOLD THAT INCLUDES AN INDIVIDUAL IDENTIFIED UNDER
22 SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION IS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE A BENEFIT UNDER THE
23 SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM UNDER ELIGIBILITY
24 REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROGRAM IN EFFECT ON JULY 3, 2025.
25      (E)   THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS TO:
26(1)   VERIFY HOUSEHOLD ELIGIBILITY FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE
27 PROGRAM; AND
28(2)   CARRY OUT THIS SECTION.
29SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July
30 1, 2026.